New NFL lawsuit cites bounties

ATLANTA — Four former NFL players who sued the league Monday in a state court in Atlanta could be leading a wave of new lawsuits that cite the New Or­leans Saints’ bounty system for hard hits as evidence the NFL didn’t properly protect players from concussions.

The suit contends that the bounty system is another example that the league “explicitly relied on violence” and neglected to educate aboutthe dangers of concussions.

The claims give the new lawsuit an “added vitality” if attorneys can use it to bolster the idea that there’s activity in the sport that goes beyond the typical violence associated with pro football, said Paul Haagen, a co-director of the Center for Sports Law and Policy at Duke University.

While the four players named in the suit don’t claim to be victims of the scheme launced by former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, they say it is indicative of a culture that has left them and other ex-players with debilitating conditions.

“There is nothing new or unique about what Gregg Williams said,” the complaint says. The league “encouraged its players to think of themselves as gladiators. But along the way, the NFL failed to educate its players about the consequences of such a win-at-all costs mentality.”

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said any allegation that the league intentionally sought to mislead players is without merit.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Myron Guyton, who played in the 1980s and ’90s; Lomas Brown, whose 17-year career ended in 2002; Jessie Small, who played between 1989 and 1993; and Willie White­head, who played from 1995 to 2006.

Atlanta attorney and NFL agent Von DuBose said the men suffer from memory loss, headaches, depression and other symptoms characteristic of those with traumatic brain injuries. They are among more than 1,000 ex-players suing the NFL.

“I’ve been hearing this stuff for years. And it instantly made sense when this concussion information started to come out,” said DuBose. “The dots started to connect.”

Gabe Feldman, a sports law professor at Tulane University, said the reference to the bounty system could help plaintiffs paint a picture of the sport as “not only violent but unnecessarily violent.” Although he doubts the new claim will be a “game changer,” he expects more lawsuits to cite the scandal.

“It certainly could be persuasive in the eyes of a jury,” he said.

The complaint filed Monday goes far beyond targeting the bounty system. It also says the league encouraged players to view themselves as warriors and sold films that lionized the most brutal hits, such as the 1992 NFL Films production, “The Best of Thunder and Destruction.” And it seeks to force the league to better educate players on the dangers of traumatic head injuries during the crucial period immediately after the draft.

The league’s investigation found that Williams offered off-the-books cash payments of $1,500 for “knockouts,” in which an opposing player was knocked out of a game, or $1,000 for “cart-offs,” in which an opponent needed help off the field. The league has said the bounty pool grew as large as $50,000, and that as many as 27 Saints defenders may have taken part.

The investigation led to the indefinite suspension of Williams, who had taken a position with the St. Louis Rams and has since apologized for running the system, and the season-long suspension of Saints coach Sean Payton, who was found to have initially lied about the existence of a bounty program and instructed his defensive assistants to do the same.

Some legal analysts said claims from players who weren’t involved in the bounty system may not survive a challenge from defense attorneys.

“Everyone knows, including anyone who’s played in the NFL, that it’s a violent game, said Matthew Mitten, the director of the National Sports Law Institute at Marquette University. “You didn’t need the unfortunate circumstances of bounty-gate to tell us that.”

But Bruce Hagen, an Atlanta attorney who has filed two lawsuits involving 33 different players, said the bounty system could play an important part in the lawsuits working their way through the courts.

“It shows that it’s an institutionalized effort by management to go outside the bounds of the game as a way to motivate players even if it means intentionally having them injured,” he said. “And that’s wrong.”

BREES GOES TO NFL OFFICES

Saints quarterback Drew Brees, former New Orleans linebacker Scott Fujita and players union head DeMaurice Smith were at NFL offices Monday discussing the team’s bounty program. Other issues were also being discussed with executives, including HGH testing, said a person with knowledge of the meetings.

Brees and Fujita, now with the Browns, are members of the NFL Players Association executive committee.